Pokke's New Heroes: The Hero And I
by Arctic Zero
Summary: Sequel to "Pokke's New Heroes." Set 20 years after the end of the Human-Monster war, the son of the great rebellion hero sets out to prove he can be better than his father. With the old enemies of the previous war arising once more, would the son be able to live up to his father's fame?
1. Chapter 1

It was a bright day in New Pokke, the trees swayed in the breeze and the streams flowed in the distance. The villagers peacefully roam about and minded their own business. The Gathering Hall was full of hunters, and the homes were somewhat empty as the people had gone to watch an event. It had been 20 years since a certain boy took his first steps outside of his home and to his mother's leg. It had been 20 years since the end of the Human-Monster War, and it had been 20 years since the Rebellion was disbanded. Everything was calm, and a new test system had been set up. It was basically a sort of proving ground, where an aspiring hunter would pick his weapon of choice and fight either a boss monster or a pack of minion monsters of his or her choice. It was fought in an arena for everyone to watch and cheer, and a sub-system has been set up to prevent the death of the aspiring hunter. It was, in essence, heavy bowgunners with sleep rounds loaded and ready to fire at the monster should the hunter be rendered unconscious or when it's obvious that the next monster attack was going to kill the hunter. Being a hero of the Human-Monster war, Azen was appointed chief of the test system that they named, "The Fury." He has watched countless of aspiring hunters pick their enemies and defeat them, and he never felt nervous for the hunter, until now. One of his sons were to undergo the Fury and gain their license to go out to take high-ranked contracts.

"I'm telling you, Azen, Qtronix will be fine," Mikan said as she sat down on a chair at the balcony where Azen sat.

"Still. Back in my day, they didn't have this kind of test. It was as easy as signing your first contract," Azen replied, as he gripped the arm rest of his chair.

Mikan held Azen's hand and caressed it slowly, "Don't you have faith in your son?"

"I do, but after losing Makan and Qtronix to a mission..."

"Azen," Mikan started. Azen turned to look at Mikan's orange, glowing eyes. She smiled sincerely at him then kissed his cheek, "Just watch, okay?"

"Alright, alright..." Azen took a deep breath, then heard the crowd roar. He then knew that his son had entered the arena, and lo and behold, Tatsuma was waving to the audience with a smile in a set of hunter's armor. He looked exactly like Azen when he was 18, sporting black hair, a slightly muscular build, but Tatsuma inherited Mikan's orange eyes. His eyes were strong, but despite his intimidating stare, he was a friendly guy. He grew up being taught by Sayako in the way of the warrior, and Azen taught him how to be exactly like himself. Mikan taught Tatsuma how to be strong but gentle, and so far, she's had the most impact out of the three teachers he had. As Tatsuma's orange eyes glanced over the shining weapons presented to him in a rack, the announcer awaited him to pick his opponent. Tatsuma spent a few minutes thinking, before he finally made his decision which shocked the audience.

"I pick a Tigrex," Tatsuma spoke, and the arena gasped. They didn't expect such a young hunter to pick a Tigrex as his opponent. A few minutes later, a raging Tigrex stormed into the arena and headed straight for Tatsuma. Tatsuma made a quick swipe for the red saber and shield, then immediately got into a defensive stance as he held his shield in front of him and braced for impact. The charge of the Tigrex caused Tatsuma to skid backwards as the shield absorbed most of the momentum, but it taxed his left arm as well, since that was his shield arm. The dust from Tatsuma's skid formed a small cloud, and the Tigrex looked confused since he couldn't see his prey. Tatsuma emerged from the smoke after clearing it with a wave of his fiery sword, and he charged straight at the Tigrex. He jumped up high and brought his blade down at the Tigrex's head, and his sword glided down the Tigrex's eye, causing it to flail backwards and swing it's tail and claws about in pain.

As he saw the incoming tail attack, Azen guarded himself with his shield, but the force was too immense for him to remain on the ground so he was sent flying in the air, and he rolled to a stop a few meters from the arena's wall. The crowd was quiet and all that could be heard was the growling of the Tigrex. Soon, the Tigrex let out a deafening roar and swung it's claws at Tatsuma, and he got knocked off his feet once more, rolling on the ground and struggled to get up. His shield threatened to break on the next impact, but he stood up and got into a defensive stance. His orange eyes glew slightly, and when the Tigrex came charging in, Tatsuma ran up to it's head and stabbed his sword into it's jaw, then lifted himself up to the Tigrex's head. He then pulled his sword out of the jaw then started slamming his cutting edge on the Tigrex's head repeatedly, holding onto the beast until it was down. After he realized that there's no way to bring a perfectly balanced Tigrex down from it's head, Tatsuma let go of the Tigrex and ran down across it's back. His back was wet with perspiration, and he felt that he suffered heavy bruises, however he persevered and took his flaming sword and slashed the Tigrex's tail repeatedly until it came off, and he felt the Tigrex fall on it's face. Because of the momentum that the Tigrex ran at, Tatsuma rolled backwards and fell to the ground. He groaned in pain and tears started to well up in his orange eyes.

"Come on, baby... Get up..." Mikan whispered as she stood up and leaned over the balcony to look at her son.

Tatsuma struggled to get up, and the Tigrex had regained its balance and struck the ground to launch three huge rocks at Tatsuma. Tatsuma roared as his innate ability to go berserk got triggered, and he jumped to his feet and blocked the incoming rock with his shield, which shattered his shield into smitherines, and he ran faster at the Tigrex and dropped to slide underneath the Tigrex and stabbed his sword into it's belly. The Tigrex let out a bellowing roar, and it started to collapse, but Tatsuma rolled out of the way and lay prone on the ground as the Tigrex fell. The crowd roared as they cheered Tatsuma, and Azen laughed heartily and gave Mikan a massive smooch.

"That's my son! That's my son!" Azen yelled as he cheered his son on.

The monster keepers took the fallen Tigrex away, and Tatsuma waved to the audience, specifically to his parents. Azen and Mikan went down to see their son, and met up with him at the stream at the edge of New Pokke. Mikan came with a basket of medical supplies, and Azen tagged along. As Mikan treated the small scrapes and the large bruises that her son suffered from the fight, Azen started talking about his adventures in the Human-Monster war. Mikan finished within minutes, as she studied medicine in her 20 years as a mother.

"So, dad. How'd you and mom meet?" Tatsuma asked.

"Well, son, that's a good story! See, I was just minding my own business when suddenly your mother came along to Pokke, up in the mountains, and just started staying there," Azen said. He went on about how his whole story went with the following days.

"You're just like your father when he was young," Mikan commented with a smile.

"Thanks, mom," Tatsuma replied, then stood up. Azen and Mikan stood up as well.

"Well, you better get some rest, son! You start your day as a real hunter tomorrow! Those contracts won't sign themselves, you know," Azen said as he ushered Tatsuma into their house. Mikan followed Tatsuma, but soon after, Azen was stopped when he saw an old friend.

"It seems like you've grown into a good man," Sayako said, her arms crossed in front of her chest.

"Of course. It's all thanks to you and Misaka," Azen mentioned.

"We're flattered, however, isn't it about time you passed your flame onto your son? He's obviously fit enough to take on the tasks you will leave behind," Sayako suggested.

"I'm only 42, Sayako. I can still work as a hunter."

"But for how long would you be able to remain a warrior AND a hunter?"

"I can manage until my son gets stronger," Azen said, looking a bit disgruntled by Sayako's comments.

"There has been word that your old enemy has been gathering forces once more. What will you do?"

"Ian's gathering forces? Where?"

"I saw some half-human, half-monsters roaming the Southern borders of the territory."

"Okay, I'll ask if some hunters can investigate that area if they happen to pass by there."

"No. Send your son. Let him prove that he bears his father's strength and courage. Let this Ian know that he has no chance of winning, for a new generation has been born."

"...Or are you still stuck in your generation?"

"I can fight Ian alone. He has no control over monsters anymore, but I do. I can talk to them."

"But what about those hybrids that Ian has been making? Can you talk to those things too?"

Azen was silent.

"Trust your son, Azen. He has the training and the license. He now needs the experience."

"...Fine. I'll send him tomorrow."

"Good," Sayako nodded to Azen and turned then left.

Azen sighed, then entered his house. He sat down on a chair and mulled over the news that Sayako gave him. What would he do with Ian returning after 20 years of silence? Would he really risk his son's life to end Ian's rule once more?


	2. Chapter 2

It was late afternoon by the time Tatsuma was ready to go. Azen had helped his son gear up with his hunter's armor. It was tradition in Azen's sons not to wear the headgear of an armor set, but after losing his first two sons to a cruel Tigrex slaying mission, Azen made his last and youngest son wear the helmet. Azen left Tatsuma's room for a moment, leaving the young hunter to think to himself and admire the view of the stream outside his window as the sunset's reflection colored the water orange. Tatsuma did not understand why, but whenever his father got angry, his eyes turn yellow. He wished he inherited that, but apparently the orange eyes of his mother was more of a treasure than his father's yellow ones. A warm breeze blew in through Tatsuma's window from outside, and his hair lifted a bit upwards. The touch of the warm wind calmed him, but his trance was broken when his father entered the room with a bundle in his hands.

"You'll need this," Azen said as he unwrapped the bundle and revealed his Bone Katana, "This sword is famous; it should get you access to many parts of the Kingdom if you show it to the guards. May you use it wisely."

Tatsuma took the sword then sheathed it behind him, "Thanks, dad."

"Now, go. You'll only be able to reach Ravenguard by the time midnight sets. Look for a woman by the name of Sarah. She's in her mid-thirties or so. She'll take care of you," Azen recommended.

"Alright. Anything else before I go?" Tatsuma inquired.

"Nothing from me. Just make sure you say goodbye to your mother," Azen said before leaving Tatsuma's room.

Tatsuma took a glance out his window one last time, then went out of his room after giving Mikan a goodbye hug. He first made a stop at Sayako's village, where he received a bag of supplies for his journey from Misaka. By the time dusk came around, Tatsuma crossed through the Unknown Territory and into the Known Territory. He was greeted by guards from the Royal Army with a rather unfriendly front, but upon seeing his orange eyes and the Bone Katana on his back, and they let him pass. Azen and his family may not be officially nobles, but they are treated as such ever since the end of the Human-Monster War.

* * *

Passing through fields of grass and trees, Tatsuma felt like he had been walking for a decent amount of time. The moon was high in the sky already, yet he hasn't seen a single trace of any towns around him besides from the occassional courier that passes him by. Tatsuma sighed then stared at his path as he traveled. Afterwards, he heard the ground rumbling. Immediately, he got off the dirtpath that he was following and ran for the treeline adjacent to it. He hid behind a tree, then saw a pack of Iopreys led by an Iodrome, followed by five half-monster half-human things. They were scaly and had red eyes, and they carried axes that looked very menacing. Tatsuma made no sound until the pack of Iopreys and the hybrids left, and he came out of the treeline to investigate. He tracked his new targets a long way, and he found that the hybrids made camp to the side of the road, like highwaymen waiting for their victims. The pack of Ioprey were nowhere to be seen, but the Iodrome was locked in a cage by the hybrid's camp.

Tatsuma slowly backed away from the camp, but as he turned he heard a slap and a gate being locked, followed by someone who was sobbing. Tatsuma faced the camp once more, then waited for a while. The hybrids went to sleep, two of them stayed up to guard the camp. Tatsuma unsheathed his Bone Katana and carefully started sneaking into the camp. The new moon offered little to no light, and the campfire was dying down. Light was very scarce, and like a stealthy Nargacuga, Tatsuma rose from the shadows and slit the hybrid's throat. He applied more force than necessary to hopefully break their neck as well, but the scales of the hybrids proved that they were resistant to bladed weapons. Afterwards, being the genius that he was, Tatsuma sprinted to the fire and stomped it out, which attracted the other guard's attention. However, since the only light source was now snuffed out, the guard couldn't see where Tatsuma may have run off to. The guard only saw a quick glimpse of Tatsuma's figure before light vanished from his sight.

Tatsuma delivered a successful stab at each of the sleeping hybrids' necks while the guard was fumbling about with his axe as he wondered where Tatsuma went. Tatsuma's eyes were already adjusted to the darkness, and he was able to navigate through the camp. The guard was able to see in the dark soon after, and he swung his axe toward's Tatsuma's head. Tatsuma brought his katana upward to deflect the blow, then rolled to the side and delivered a swift blow to the monster's gut. Tatsuma quickly went to the cages and looked for the source of the sobs. He couldn't really see much of what was inside of the cages, so he went back to the fireplace and revived the fire that he stomped out. He made a makeshift torch and went back to the cages. He saw the captured Iodrome, and a few cages after, he saw a person. He peered closer into the cage and saw a girl with fair skin and long white hair. When the girl took a peek at Tatsuma, Tatsuma could see her sky blue eyes, but she hid her face into her palms.

"Hey... What's you're name?" Tatsuma asked.

"...Shiroko..." the girl answered.

"Alright, Shiroko... I'll get you out of here, okay?" Tatsuma said before slicing the lock off with his Bone Katana and opening the cage.

Tatsuma reached in to help Shiroko out of the cage, but she scooted away from Tatsuma. Tatsuma sighed then gently pulled on Shiroko's arm and brought her out of the cage. She stumbled and leaned forward to Tatsuma's chest, then looked up into Tatsuma's eyes. After she saw his glowing orange eyes, she started turning bright red then a soft gasp escaped her lips. Tatsuma held Shiroko's shoulders then smiled at her slightly.

"That didn't hurt, did it?" Tatsuma asked.

"..." Shiroko fainted.

Tatsuma looked dumbfounded at Shiroko's reaction, but he carried her on his back. He sliced the lock on the Iodrome's cage as well, so that it could leave once it wakes up. Tatsuma trudged along the dirt path with Shiroko on his back and he continued his travel to Ravenguard. Tatsuma thought Ravenguard was miles away, but he appeared to be closer than he thought. The town was literally right outside the forest and he walked through, nodding to the guards.

"What is your business here?" a Ravenguard asked.

"Oh, I'm just stopping by here for the night," Tatsuma replied.

"Ah, travelers, eh? Alright, you can go in."

Tatsuma nodded to the guards and continued into the town. He saw a really big building, and entered. The people inside were lively as they drank and ate, then Tatsuma walked to the front desk, still carrying Shiroko on his back.

"Excuse me?" Tatsuma called out.

"Hm?" the woman said at the desk.

"I'm looking for someone called Sarah."

"And who might you be?"

"I am Tatsuma, son of Azen."

"Ah! Azen's boy, eh? Hi! I'm Sarah. Nice to meet you!"

"Ah, hello. My father said you'll take care of me when I get here."

"I'm guessing you'll need a room! Don't worry, I have one free. Will you be sharing a bed with your friend?" Sarah said before pointing to Shiroko.

"Oh, no. She's an acquaintance. We'll have separate beds, please."

"Works for me," Sarah said before going over to a wall filled with keys then took one from the hooks and gave it to Tatsuma, "First door to the left, third floor."

"Thank you," Tatsuma took the key and walked up the stairs and into the room. He left the door open and put the sleeping Shiroko onto one of the beds and then closed the door. Tatsuma locked the door afterwards.

Tatsuma dropped his items by his bed, then took a good glance at the blade of his Bone Katana. He was so engrossed at the detail that his father had formed the blade into, but he was disturbed when Shiroko sneezed. Tatsuma sheathed the Bone Katana and went over to Shiroko's bed. He felt her forehead a bit, but didn't feel anything unusual. Tatsuma put the blanket over Shiroko's shoulders, then stood up from her bed. Tatsuma looked out the window and saw the lights coming from the houses, and smoke coming from the chimneys. Tatsuma didn't see the point of having fireplaces down South, since it was always warm. It was then that Tatsuma realized they were not fireplaces, nor were the buildings houses. They were forges. Ravenguard was the main producer of hunting tools ever since the end of the Human-Monster War. Tatsuma stretched and yawned, then turned off the light. He gave one more look at Shiroko, then went to his bed and closed his eyes. He soon drifted to sleep, comforted by the darkness of the room.

* * *

The next day, Tatsuma awoke as the sunshine bathed his face. He opened his eyes slowly and turned away from the sunlight, then saw Shiroko in her bed as she played with her hair. Tatsuma rose from his bed and stretched, then stood beside Shiroko's bed. Shiroko looked up at Tatsuma then stared at him, then she opened her mouth to speak.

"You slept... in that?" Shiroko asked, pointing to Tatsuma's armor.

"I always do, if I'm not sleeping at home," Tatsuma answered, rotating his shoulders.

"Isn't in uncomfortable?"

"A little."

"Here," Shiroko stood up and removed Tatsuma's helmet, then set it down on her bed. She then proceeded to unbuckle his shoulder armor, but Tatsuma stopped her.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be leaving in a bit."

"You're leaving me here?" Shiroko asked, suddenly worried.

"You're free to come along with me, if you want," Tatsuma replied, then smiled at Shiroko.

Tatsuma took his helmet and put it on Shiroko's head, then took his Bone Katana and placed it by his waist. He then proceeded to exit the room. Shiroko stood up and followed after Tatsuma, and she walked behind him as they exited the hotel. Tatsuma waved to Sarah as he left, then he looked up at the blue sky. It was mid-morning, as the sun was halfway up the sky. Tatsuma headed South. It was a long walk, and when noon came, Tatsuma took a break under the shade of a large tree to avoid a heat stroke, especially with summer settling in. Shiroko sat down beside Tatsuma, but left a considerable amount of space between them as they waited for the sun's heat to lessen.

"Do you hunt?" Tatsuma asked Shiroko.

"Yes, I do. I hunt with a bow," Shiroko replied.

"Ah, that's good.I normally hunt with sword and a shield, but my father gave me his old sword."

"I see."

The two conversed and got to know each other more, until finally, afternoon came about. It was not so hot anymore, and the two continued their journey. It was a two-day hike of nothingness but trees and grass and the dirtroad that they followed, but Tatsuma and Shiroko had each other to pass the time. It was at night when Tatsuma saw multiple smoke pillars rising to the sky. Tatsuma and Shiroko continued walking until they saw a sign that read, "New Starfall." Tatsuma quietly hid in the forest that bordered the town, and saw various sizes of hybrids roaming around and forging weapons. He saw lines and large groups of men gathered outside the broken walls, and another line of what seemed to be prisoners judging by how the hybrids were cracking whiplashes above their heads. Tatsuma glared at the sight, then pulled Shiroko to his side.

"Listen, stay here and keep quiet. I'll be back," Tatsuma said.

"Where are you going?" Shiroko whispered.

"I'm going to get some information on the town over there."

"Okay..." Shiroko whispered again before Tatsuma headed off.

Tatsuma was able to infiltrate the town by crawling through a broken wall. Once he passed through the wall, he saw that the guards were facing the other way. Tatsuma crept past the guards and along the back alleys to spy on the area. He first found that there were multiple forges, just like in Ravenguard, but there was also a lot of weapons already stockpiled. Greatswords, lances, all the sorts, but he found that they have been developing plenty of a bowgun variant. It seemed like a mix between a heavy bowgun and a light bowgun, so it must be a medium bowgun. Multiple bolts and arrows were also stockpiled, but Tatsuma couldn't help but wonder where they got all the material for it. Tatsuma sighed, then moved on, but he was met by the view of a barren forest. For perhaps a few miles, there was nothing but quarries and lumber mills at the back of New Starfall, and Tatsuma was amazed that the Royal Army had been silent about this the whole time.

Then, there was a line of women that went to a specifc sector of the town. They'd enter looking all scared, and Tatsuma waited a couple hours to see how they came out. They came out looking broken, the light in their eyes stolen from them. Tatsuma then assumed that it was the breeding sector, where the hybrids were created and formed into the elite infantry of the growing army. Finally, Tatsuma was able to follow where the line of men led. It led to some sort of elevated throne towards the back of the town, and overheard the men swearing loyalty to the person known as Ian. They talked about regaining lost territory, and how the "hammer will fall" by noon tomorrow. Tatsuma couldn't help but get a bad feeling about it, so he started making his way back to where he left Shiroko.

"Shiroko? Shiroko, where are you?" Tatsuma asked as he roamed about the spot where he left Shiroko.

Tatsuma knelt down and tried looking for tracks, but he was met with a swift blow to the head. Everything suddenly turned black.


	3. Chapter 3

A sudden splash of water awoke Tatsuma from his deep slumber. He looked around and saw that he was in a dark cell, considering there were bar grills on one side of the small cube he was in. He saw three people by the grills but he couldn't quite make out their facial features, however he couldn't miss one of the person having long white hair. He saw movement, and another spalsh of water surged at him. Tatsuma wiped his eyes and looked out his cell. There, he saw a man wearing rich robes and Shiroko standing beside him. Tatsuma walked over to the grills to get a better look of the man. He was in his early forties, and from the looks of it, he was a man of power.

"Good afternoon," the man said, "I am Ian, leader of the Azures. Who might you be?" Ian asked, even though he knew who Tatsuma was.

"I am Tatsuma, son of Azen-" Tatsuma began.

"Ah! The son of the enemy! Why, we should have you executed at once!" Ian stated, then looked at Shiroko, "Luckily for you, this girl told me to spare your life."

"Shiroko... You led them to me?" Tatsuma asked. Shiroko looked to the side.

"Yes, she did. You see, she is an agent in our little group. She did well to aid your capture," Ian turned to Shiroko, then held a dagger to her throat.

"What are you doing?" Tatsuma exclaimed, grabbing onto the metal grill.

"I want you to go home and tell your father everything that you saw here," Ian said.

"That's exactly what I intend to do!" Tatsuma responded.

"Good."

Tatsuma was thrown out of New Starfall along with his Bone Katana, and he started the journey back to New Pokke. In the three days that he walked, he was thinking of how he would tell his father everything. Despite being betrayed by Shiroko, he still wanted to save her from Ian's hold, especially after seeing her threatened by Ian. Tatsuma thought long and hard that he failed to notice his body's needs, such as eating or drinking, or even getting some sleep. He just walked at a steady pace all the way back to New Pokke, and by the third day, he arrived at a horrible sight. New Pokke was destroyed, with bodies litering the ground. The corpses were caked with blood, and there was an eerie silence in the village. Tatsuma ran to his house and searched for his parents, but their house was empty of people. Tatsuma exited and looked at the other houses, and saw that some were burnt. Tatsuma stepped over the corpses of the villagers and furrowed his brows when he saw a dead hybrid body.

"So this was what they meant by the hammer falling..." Tatsuma whispered to himself.

Tatsuma followed the trail of hybrid corpses and found himself going upslope, onto a small hill by the village. The higher he got, the more hybrid corpses were present, and when he looked up, Tatsuma saw Azen and Mikan lying down at the top of the hill. They must have held off the attackers and led them away from the village. Tatsuma fell to his knees as he approached the bodies of his parents, then shook them both to wake them. Neither responded. Tatsuma saw that Mikan was holding some sort of note, and he opened it. Inside the note were three words with a few drops of blood on it. "We love you, Tatsuma," it read, and Tatsuma cried. He cried over the loss of his family and his entire village. All this time, he had wanted to leave the village. Only now did he want to stay forever. He cried as if his heart was being wrenched out of his chest.

* * *

Tatsuma buried every single body of the villagers, and piled up the bodies of the hybrids and burnt them. Tatsuma's empty eyes stared as half of his vision was covered with crosses and the other half was filled with the burning of hybrid bodies. Tatsuma kept thinking of why this had happened to him. He kept thinking how he could have avoided this tragedy. Tatsuma went to his house and took a look at Azen and Mikan's room. There was a chest at the foot of their bed that Azen had told him not to open until the time had come that he was ready. Tatsuma took his Bone Katana and broke the lock, then opened the chest. Inside, he saw the Ioprey set that he always heard about from Azen's stories of the Human-Monster War. Tatsuma took off his hunter set and started wearing the Ioprey set. In minutes, he was dressed in the uniform that the old Rebellion wore.

Exiting his house a final time, Tatsuma looked over the graves of his parents. A breeze passed by and a tear fell from Tatsuma's orange eyes, then he set off. He headed back to Ravenguard, taking the most direct route there which only took a few hours. Tatsuma told Sarah of the terrible news, and Sarah quickly assembled a gathering. She made Tatsuma tell them the news of the attack on New Pokke and about the death of Azen, and soon after he was finished, an uproar emerged. A group of people suggested letting the Elder Council know about this and encourage them to make the Kingdom act. Another group argued that the matter should be taken up to the king himself. Finally, a third group comes along and suggests that they start a new rebellion, only this time, it was going to be a group with the sole purpose of stopping the Azures. Tatsuma stood up, and the arguing crowd stopped talking.

"I will lead a new group," Tatsuma said loudly.

"But you're just a kid!" Someone in the crowd yelled.

"I may be just a kid, but my father-"

"That was your father, not you!"

"Give the boy a chance! He may live up to his father's fame!"

Instead of three sides arguing, there were now two sides. One arguing that Tatsuma cannot lead, while the other argued that Tatsuma is suitable to lead. The men started bickering at each other, but then Tatsuma yelled out to the people.

"We'll need men. Let's start recruiting and we'll be on our way to building a new group," Tatsuma proposed.

"And who are you to order us around?" A patron yelled.

"I am Tatsuma, son of Azen. He's the man that fought a rebellion and prevented Ian's reign from being permanent. He's the man that made sure you have a better future. He's the man that prevented your women from being tools of breeding for more hybrid soldiers. You should be thankful to my father's deeds, and now you owe him your service. Since he is now gone, I represent him and everything he fought for. Now, if you still do not wish to follow me, then pack up and leave the Known Territory, or go hide on the other side of the Kingdom's curtains. I will take action, and that action begins with my followers."

The crowd was silenced, then suddenly a man stepped up and gave his sign of agreement to Tatsuma. Soon after, many more followed suit, and finally, the entire crowd was swayed to follow Tatsuma.

"From the ashes of the Rebellion rise the Crimsons!" Tatsuma yelled, and the whole crowd roared in agreement.

Two months after Tatsuma's speech, Ravenguard's activities bustled. The number of forges doubled, and the personnel in each forge worked very hard to produce weapons and armor. Men from the gathering started recruiting men from all over the Known Territory, and myriads of men started pouring into Ravenguard. Tatsuma appointed Ravenguard as the central headquarters of the Crimsons, which transformed the town into a fortress as defenses were set up and high walls were erected. Everyone was working extra hard to jumpstart the group, and then finally, a large group of hunters wearing Mafumofu sets marched into Ravenguard and looked for Tatsuma.

"We are hunters from Pokke Village. We wish to aid you in your fight against the Azures," the leader said.

Tatsuma nodded, then clasped the leader's shoulder, "I'm glad that you've come," Tatsuma said.

Hunters from Pokke Village were legendary for their skill ever since the end of the Human-Monster War. Reports from the Hunter's Guild reported that Pokke Village had a 96% success rate in terms of the contracts that they took, which came close to Kokoto Village's hunters, who boasted a 98% success rate. Tatsuma treated all hunters to be elite troops since they have experience fighting horrendous monsters, but most of the Crimsons were just villagers and ordinary citizens of the Kingdom that sided with the Crimson Blades' mission. What the Crimsons lacked in technology and equipment, they made up for with training. The Crimsons offered the same friendly yet very informative training that the Rebellion once had, and it had produced good results.

As for Tatsuma, he spent the past two months in solidity, only going out when his attention is needed. He has been training himself to use his Bone Katana more efficiently so he could lead and fight at the same time. Despite having a crude form, Tatsuma's strikes were heavy and powerful. With his prowess, his Bone Katana was to be treated as a greatsword in terms of damage dealt. He allowed no space for himself to grieve or mourn for his loss, and this caused a sort of tunneling in Tatsuma's emotional wound, where the wound gets deeper and it develops complications within the wound that could not be treated from the outside. It turned Tatsuma into a completely different personm and Sarah couldn't help but notice that he's practically gone mute unless someone decided to initiate a conversation with him. It was like he was not the leader. It was as if he was a mere hunter who has no family nor friends in the new company that he had.

"It's time to take a break, Tatsuma," Sarah called out, carrying a towel for Tatsuma.

"Thanks," Tatsuma replied then took the towel and wiped his face and forehead.

"We are starting to create multiple mobile groups as you requested."

"That's great news," Tatsuma replied, before sheathing his Bone Katana and walked to take a seat on one of the stools that Sarah put out for the two of them.

"When are we going to strike, and where?" Sarah asked, vital questions to the first step of their success.

"I planned to send the mobile groups and have them act as scouts throughout the Known Territory. Once they pick up the trail of the Azures and calculate where they're going, we're going to make an appearance and stop them," Tatsuma said.

"That would require fast travel, dear," Sarah pointed out.

"Indeed. We're going to use monsters for that. Velociprey should do the trick."

"But that's completely against your father's-"

"Are you willing to do everything to ensure that the future is brighter than what Ian has to propose?"

"Yes, I am, but-"

"Then we're using every resource available to us, and it starts with the Velociprey."

"Very well..." Sarah slinked off, dejected, but she knew Tatsuma had a sound reason.

She knew that he knew they would need to use everything they could reach in order to win, especially since the Crimsons do not have the support of the Kingdom, but neither does the Azures. Sarah sighed and went out to check on the progress of the training of the men, and they've begun showing real promise. They were skilled, lethal, and ready for combat.

* * *

A few weeks later, a scout riding a velociprey came rushing into Ravenguard and asked for Tatsuma's presence. Tatsuma walked out of the hotel and spoke to the scout. Apparently, the Azures have mobilized towards a small village towards the East. Tatsuma commended the scout for his work, then ordered a strike force to mobilize with him to the village. Tatsuma mounted a velocidrome and moved out with his men to the village that the Azures were going to attack. It took a day for the Crimsons to arrive to the village, and they could see that the Azures were already attacking the village. Tatsuma looked over the assaulting Azures. They all held bowguns. Tatsuma also noted the Crimsons' superior number, and he ordered half of the men to dismount, while the other half to go ahead and charge the Azures.

The Azures fired multiple fire shots that lit the village on fire, and they were caught by surprise from the mounted attack that the Crimsons sent their way. The Azures were trampled and injured by the velocipreys' charge, then the incoming infantry of the Crimsons proved a threat as well. The Azures moved some men forward and began shooting at the Crimson infantry, and they mowed them down with their shots, however the sheer number of the Crimsons overpowered the Azures' firepower and forced them to engage in melee combat. The fight raged on throughout the entire village, with the villagers who failed to flee getting caught in the middle of the battle. Their houses were destroyed by the fight, and it got very intense that whole houses collapsed because of the swings and shots fired. To be fair, the houses were made of bamboo, and were not very strong, but it did not matter.

Tatsuma was fighting with a group of men when he got pushed into a small hut. He tumbled backward and got back up to his feet to rejoin the fight, but a fire shot that hit one of the hut's pillars caused him to back away. The fire started spreading, and that's when he heard gasps and signs of despair from within the house. He turned and saw a mother holding an infant safe in her arms. The fire spread fast, and time was running out. Tatsuma ran over to the mother and ushered her to stand.

"Come on, we have no time! Let's go!" Tatsuma yelled.

The mother stood up and started to run out of the house, and as she ran outside, Tatsuma saw Azures headed their way. Tatsuma continued escorting the mother and child until they reached a bridge, and there, Tatsuma made his stand.

"Go on! Live with your child, and find another place to live!" Tatsuma yelled. His yell caught the attention of the Azures and they started loading their bowguns.

"What is your name, sir? I must name my child after you," The mother asked.

"I am Tatsuma. Now go!" Tatsuma yelled, and the mother started running as fast as she could away from the village. Tatsuma turned back to his pursuers, and found them ready to fire. They shot a volley at Tatsuma and miraculously, they missed all the bullets, and Tatsuma charged in and engaged them in melee combat. He jumped at the first Azure he found and tackled him to the ground, with his Bone Katana propped against his enemy's neck so the fall would actually cut the man's throat. Next, he was met with a solid blow to the back from the butt of a bowgun, which Tatsuma shrugged off and locked his sword into the enemy's bowgun. As the two struggled, the last Azure that pursued Tatsuma started running after the mother. He was running at a faster speed than the woman, and she was running in a straight line. Tatsuma knew she was going to get hit. Tatsuma kicked the Azure right as he was about to shoot the mother, but his good intentions led to the mother being shot straight through her chest, and she fell to the ground.

Enraged, Tatsuma frenzied over the Azure he was currently fighting and broke his neck, then he threw his Bone Katana at the Azure that shot the mother, and he fell soon afterwards. Tatsuma retrieved his sword and ran over to the mother's body. She must have been really weak to have ran only a short distance in the time that she ran. Tatsuma could still hear fighting going on in the village, so he knew he had to return. However, the infant's cries resounded in Tatsuma's ears, and he gently turned over the body of the mother, and she was alive. Barely. She was crying, but Tatsuma could tell she was trying to calm the baby down in her last moments. When the mother saw Tatsuma, she smiled faintly, then closed her eyes forever. Tatsuma bowed his head slightly in respect for the late mother, but the infant had not stopped crying. Tatsuma took the infant from the mother's arms, and he sheathed his Bone Katana. He carried the mother to the side of the bridge and buried her there, marking her grave with two twigs tied together to make a cross. Tatsuma hoped that anyone who passes by this bridge would be aware of the battle that happened in this area.

When Tatsuma was finished burying the mother, he carried the infant in his arms, then looked at the village. The last remaining buildings shook, until finally they all collapsed. After the dust clouds dissipated, Tatsuma saw his men counting how many died. There was no celebration, for it was a very costly victory. Only 13% of the Crimson forces that arrived in the village survived the battle. Tatsuma sighed. The infant seemed to have cried itself to sleep, or it was comforted by Tatsuma's hold. He didn't know. What he knew, however, was that he will have to return to Ravenguard with the infant.


End file.
